That’s Who won the eighth stakes race of his career Saturday, when he drove to a three-quarter length win over Thunder Agard in the $60,000 Lineage Classic at the Downs at Albuquerque.
This time, an observer could believe the hype. Bal a Bali, the winner of the Brazilian Triple Crown in 2014, won his American debut in Saturday’s $100,750 American Stakes at Santa Anita, closing from fifth in a field of eight to win the one-mile turf race by a length.
Ten times previously, Twilight Eclipse participated in a Grade 1 race, and 10 times previously, he was defeated. Some of the losses were excruciating. There was a neck loss to Main Sequence in the United Nations at Monmouth last July followed two starts later by a neck loss to Main Sequence in the Joe Hirsch Turf Classic Invitational at Belmont Park.
A.P. Indian, a 5-year-old making only his eighth career start, turned in a sharp front-running effort to win the opening-day Decathlon Stakes at Monmouth Park on Saturday.
A year ago, My Sweet Addiction’s career was in turmoil. She had difficulty negotiating the turn of the minor Desert Stormer Stakes at six furlongs at Santa Anita, finishing a well-beaten third as a heavy favorite.
Skylander Girl buried a small but accomplished field of fillies and mares Saturday at Woodbine in the Grade 3 Hendrie Stakes.
Discreet Marq was the most accomplished of the seven fillies and mares who ran in Saturday’s $150,000 Beaugay Stakes at Belmont Park. On top of her class edge, Discreet Marq was given a pace advantage as well, striking the front early under John Velazquez and never feeling any pressure en route to a three-quarter-length victory in the Grade 3 Beaugay at Belmont Park.
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Three weeks ago, Boot Legger finished 10 1/4 lengths behind stablemate Unbridled Graduate while making his stakes debut in the Howard Noonan at Mahoning Valley Race Course. Saturday, Boot Legger turned the tables on his more experienced barnmate to win the $75,000 Tall Stack Stakes for Ohio-bred 3-year-olds at Belterra Park.
Limited to one start in 2014 due to a knee injury, Wedding Toast flashed her graded stakes-winning form from her 3-year-old season with an emphatic four-length victory in Saturday’s Grade 2, $250,000 Ruffian Stakes at Belmont Park.
